Regulator for dynamo-electric machines



W. B MOSES.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1915.

Patented Dee. 28,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. MOSES, OF IBROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSI GN 'OR TQ GRAY 8aDAVIS INC., OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

REGULATOR FOR DYNAMIC-ELECTRIC MACHINES.

ing devices. t

is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a device ofthe above-said character which shall be compact and slmple inconstruction yet efficient and reliable in its operation.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of simple anddurable means suitable for use upon automobiles or the like,

by movement of the other- Other objects will be in part obvious and inpart specifically pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in various features of construction;combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will, beexemplified by the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a cutout and regulator device embodyingcertain features of the invention. The cover is removed to more clearlydisclose the interior construcso tion.

Fig.2 is a diagrammatic view of the de- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 18, 1915. Serial No. 56,475.

V vice shown in Fig. 1 showing further the generator, battery, lamps andelectrical circuits comprised by the system.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein similarreference characters refer to similar parts throughout the differentviews, there is indicated at 1 a base or support provided with sidewalls 2 and 3 and adapted to receii e a cover (not shown). Mounted 'uponthe base 1 and insulated therefrom is a T-shaped auxiliary support 4: ofiron or other suitable magnetic material. The stem 5 of the T member isperforated to receive and support a core 6 which latter has mounted uponit the wire wound spools 7 and 8 respectively on opposite sides of thestem 5. The cross-bar of the T member has its opposite ends turnedinwardly, and riveted to these ends respectively are flexible strips ofconducting material 9 and 10. These strips in turn carry armatures ofrigid material designated as 11 and 12. The armature 11 extendstransversely opposite one end of the core 6 and the armature 12 has asimilar location relatively to the other end of the core. A flexible arm13 is rigidly and electrically connected to the strip or hinge 9 andcarries the movable contact 14 which has a cooperative association witha fixed contact 15, the latter being supported and insulated from thecross-bar of the auxiliary support. A yoke 16 is also secured to thehinge 9-and is formed with fingers 17 and 18 which alternately bear onopposite sides of the contact carrier 13 in a manner and for purposeswhich will be hereinafter set forth. The yoke 16' has a third finger 19which coacts with the fixed angle piece 20 to provide a stop forlimiting the outward movement of the armature 11.

The armature hinge 10 has likewise rigidly supported thereon a flexiblearm 2l carrying the movable contact 22 which has a cooperativeassociation with the fixed contact 23. The latter is supported by andinsulated from the cross-bar of the auxiliary support 4. A rigid arm 24is mountedon the hinge 10 and is formed with a finger 25 normallyarrangeda short distance out of contact with the flexible spring arm 21.The latter is flexed normally to. cause the unduly adhere therebyinsuring separation of the contacts as intended.

The contacts 14 and 15 are normally apart,

the flexible arm 13 being held away by the finger 17 of the yoke 16thereby preventing f accidental closing of the contacts due to Iunintentional movement of the arm 13 as by shock or j ar of theinstrument. Upon movement of the armature 11 throughout the early partof, its range the contact 14 is moved against the contact 15. Furthermovement of the armature flexes the spring arm 13 and causes substantialpressure upon the contacts. Still further movement of the armaturebrings the. finger 18 to bear firmly on the arm 13 thereby limitingfurther movement of the armature. The movement of the armature throughthe final angle of its-range carries the finger 17 slightly away fromthe arm 13 and therefore the armature may move back and forth through asmall angle without disturbing the contact relationship of the points14and 15.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that both sets of contacts have awiping action and that the cutout switch is safeguarded againstthe'making or breaking of the points due to vibrations caused by theconditions of the service,

A regulator magnet is provided by winding the spool 8 with many turns offine wire 26 and a cutout switchmag net is provided by winding the spool7 with a large number of turns of fine winding 27 and a smaller numberof turns of coarsewinding 28 the functions of which will be hereinafterexplained.

For the purpose of varying the gap be tween each armature and its magneta headed screw 29 of magnetic material is threaded into the core 6 ateach end. A

check nut 30 serves to bind a turn of spring wire 31 firmly .in positionand this wire has an extended loop 32 adapted to engage with the knurls33 of the head 34 of the screw. As

the screw is rotated the longitudinal position l .of the head -.isvaried and thesame is held in adjusted position by the engagement of thspring wire loop 32 with the head.

Upon the side walls of the casing there i are provided three insulatedterminals 35.

36, 37, and a grounded terminal 38. =The wiring .to and from theseterminals will be apparent upon a consideration of Fig. Referring to thediagram shown in Fig. 2

a generator is indicated at 39 having a shunt field 40, a storagebattery at 41 and a lamp circuit at 42. At 43 is shown a resistanceconnected betweenthe terminals 36 and 37 adapted to be cut in and out ofthe field cir cuit as the regulator contact points open and close.

It is to be understood that this invention finds a special applicationto the lighting system of an automobile and while obviously it may beadapted to various other devices its operation will be described withrespect to .Upon starting the engine to which is connected the generatorarmature, current is supplied to the field winding 40 through a fieldcircuit as follows: from the positive brush, as indicated, through thefield winding 40, wire 45, terminal 36, wire 46, contacts 23 and 22,spring strip 21, hinge 10, the cross-bar of the auxiliary support as faras which is electrically connected with the core,

through wire 47 to the terminal 37 and thence through the wire 48 to thenegative brush. The positive brush of the generator is grounded asindicated at49 and a circuit is also established through the groundedterminal 38, conductor 50, potential coil 27, return wires 47 and 48, tothe negative brush.

As thegenerator output increases due to building up with increase inspeed of the engine the potential coil 27 is strengthened until thearmature 11 is attracted and the spring arm 13 moved to close thecontact points of the automatic switch. Further attraction of thearmature flexes the arm, exerting substantial pressure on the points andacts upon the armature to cause it. to move the yok e finger 18 againstthe arm thereby insuring good contact at the points. It is to be notedthat there may be'a drop in potential from this point without openingthe contacts, as hereinbefore explained. A small current in the seriescoil 28 which flows normally in the field circuit assists the potentialcoil 27 in its action. With the automatic switch closed, the battery andlamps are included in the generator circuit, the lamp circuit being asfollows: from positive generator brush to ground to lamps 42, conductor51, terminal 35, wire 52, contact points 15 and 14, arm 13, hinge 9, thecross-bar of the auxiliary support as far as the stem 5,

the stem 5, through the stem 5 to the core From the grounded terminal 38a conductor 53 extends to one end of the potential coil 26. The otherend of this coil connects with the terminal 37 through a conductor 54,and the common negative armature wire 48 completes this circuit throughthe armature to ground. As the generator output in- Y creases to apredetermined point considered safe or desirable for the battery circuitthe potential winding 26 is energized to attract the armature 12sufliciently to open the contact points 22 and 28 and direct the fieldcurrent through the resistance 43. The field strength is therebydecreased reducing the output of the generator for a given speed. whichreduction reflecting on the regulator potential coil reduces thestrength of the magnet and permits the contacts 22 and 23 to closerestoring the original circuit. The contact 22 is therefore vibratory inits action the periodicity of the vibrations being longer or shorteraccordingly as the generator is driven at very high or only moderatelyhigh speeds.

It is undesirable to permit the generator voltage to continue below thatof the battery while the latter is included in the circuit and thisinvention provides improved means centering about the automatic switchfor cutting the battery out when its tendency is to discharge andmotorize the generator. A slight excess of battery voltage over thegenerator voltage causes a small reverse current to flow through theseries coil 28 which bucks the action of the potential coil 27 tendingto deenergize the switch magnet and permitting the spring hinge 9 toopen the contact points. The battery and lamps are by this means cut outof the generator circuit. It is to be noted that if for example, a 6volt battery is employed and the apparatus designed to close theautomatic switch at a generator voltage of 8 volts, the switch will notopen until the generator voltage drops below the battery voltage, thatis, below 6 volts.

As the battery voltage opposes that of the generator it will be obviousthat a taper charge of the battery is automatically effected. Theresistance of the battery being 'less when partially exhausted than whensmall amount of winding are employed matacts, movable regulator andcut-out con- The stem 5 operates to magnetically bifurcate theinstrument and eliminates the possibility of current regulation while atthe same time a single core and comparatively terially reducing the costof manufacture.

vAs many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I 2

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, a supporthaving tWo armatures flexibly mounted thereon, an electromagnetcooperatively associated with said armatures, fixed regulator andcut-out contacts carried by flexible arms extending from said armaturesrespectively, and a controller arm for the flexible arm of the cutoutcontacts comprising means for holding the cut-out contacts in firmengagement and means for providing a substantially positive release,said last means being adapted to permit a range of movement of thecorresponding armature before acting to release.

2. In a device of the character described in combination, a casinghaving terminals, a T-shaped support arranged within said casing, a corefastened through the stem of the T-support, armatures spring supportedrespectively from each end of the cross-bar of the T-support, a compoundwinding about the core on one side of said stem, a potential windingabout the core on the opposite side of said stem, circuit controllingcontacts operated by said armatures, and electric conductors forconnecting the contacts and windings with said terminals.

8. In a device of the character described in combination, a casinghaving terminals, a T-shaped support arranged. within said casing, acore fastened through the stem of the T support, armatures springsupported respectively from each end of the cross-bar of the T support,a compound winding about the core on one side ofsaid stem, a potentialwinding about the core on the opposite side of said stem, circuitcontrolling contacts operated by said armatures, adjustable means forvarying the magnetic value of the gaps between said core and saidarmatures, and electric conductors for connecting the contacts andwindings with said terminals.

i. In a device of the" character described in combination, a casinghaving terminals, a T-shaped support arranged within said casing, a corefastened through the stem of the between said core and said armatures,means for retaining said last means in adjusted po- 10 sition, andelectric conductors for connecting the contacts and windings with saidterminals.

Signed at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, this 15 ninth day of October, A. D. 1915..

WILLIAM B. MOSESL

